Small Talk: The Prayer Closet

[Readalot]

I don't donate blood. For one, I'm really anemic. I can't do much about it because I have this disease that makes me throw up all of the time, so eating iron-rich foods doesn't really help the situation. Also, I have very little IV access because of both my connective tissue disorder and the fact that I've been in and out of the hospital so many times over the past 14 years. Nine times out of ten, you can't start an IV on me without an ultrasound. I am an organ donor though. They can't take my kidneys because those are shot, and I don't know how my connective tissue disorder will affect my other organs, but they can have at them if they're useful. I won't need them where I'm going.

Mindy, EDS? We are an EDS family.

[Mindymoo]

Mindy, EDS? We are an EDS family.

Yep! EDS, and along with it came gastroparesis, POTS and NCS. It's not the Powerball lottery of genetic disorders, but it's definitely the state-wide Pick Four.

[Readalot]

Yep! EDS, and along with it came gastroparesis, POTS and NCS. It's not the Powerball lottery of genetic disorders, but it's definitely the state-wide Pick Four.

. POTS and Chiari .....all managable so far. Waiting to discover more. Ugh.

[Mindymoo]

. POTS and Chiari .....all managable so far. Waiting to discover more. Ugh.

The POTS can be really awful. I've passed out and broken bones before because of it. And the EDS is terrible because my hips keep dislocating in my sleep, and I don't realize it in the morning, so when I stand up I fall flat on my face. Then I have to manually pop it back into place. I got it from my mom's side of the family. She gave me that and my genetic blood clotting disorder.

[CherryMalotte]

The blood talk makes me reminisce a bit.  After many years of period hell I finally found a woman obgyn that after listening to my tearful litany of problems sent me for tests and found I was full of fibroids, which led to a hysterectomy.  After ten years of griping and complaining and crying to two or three other ob docs...but that's another story.  When they had me in the prep room she came in with this serious look on her face that frankly freaked me out and said that they would have to give me blood immediately, because of my severe anemic status.  I have no idea to this day how much they gave me, and I don't want to know, but I silently thank all donors.  I figure if I'm dead, I sure as hell don't need that kidney, give it to some poor sick ten year old or young mother or whoever the hell needs it.

 

That hysterectomy was great, I can't recommend a better surgery to anybody.  The drugs were fabulous, the food was great, and except for one wench I had the best nurses.  Came home with a stack of booklets about eating fish and spinach and other iron rich foods and recipes.  Best eight weeks off of work I'll ever have.  And no more period!  

 

Now this is seriously the best movie ever about having big families.  This is the first documentary I ever truly watched and felt affected by.  What great people the DeBolts were.  That's how you raise 19 children...with love.  Not with that keep sweet and religious blind obedience garbage.  

Edited May 28, 2015 by CherryMalotte

[fireice13]

I'm in laboratory transfusion medicine and therefore know quite a lot about blood products. When you donate a unit of whole blood it will be separated into red blood cells, platelets, and then either plasma or cryoprecipitate. Depending on the blood centers abilities you may be able to do apheresis donations where they take only the product they want and give everything else back to the donor. This allows for centers to collect more of something from one donor. There's apheresis platelets, red blood cells, and plasma. 

 

Platelets are only good for 5 days post-donation, red blood cells are good for 42 days at 1-6C (they can be shipped between 1-10C and are good in a box under melting ice for 24 hours), plasma and cryoprecipitate are frozen and good for one year at -18C or colder.

 

O negative people are the universal red cell donor. However, AB people (positive or negative) are the universal plasma donor. If there's a trauma and the blood type on the patient hasn't been determined then they will receive O negative red cells and AB plasma. Although, a lot of hospitals will give males and females above childbearing age (55) O positive red cells in a trauma and save the O negative units for women of childbearing age. This is because Rh negative people can form an antibody known as Anti-D when exposed to Rh positive blood through transfusion or pregnancy. If a person forms Anti-D, they must get Rh negative blood, but if it's a female it can cause miscarriages of Rh positive fetuses. That's why women of childbearing age would get the O negatives, but it's not as much a concern if a male or female above childbearing age gets O positive units and then forms an Anti-D. I'm sure a lot of people have heard about Rhogam and that protects Rh negative moms from forming Anti-D if their baby is Rh positive, but it can't protect against the amount of blood if a trauma patient who is Rh negative gets Rh positive units.

 

I'm sorry if this got too detailed for people, but I find it fascinating. Transfusion medicine is a lot more complicated than most people realize. 

[charmed1]

Cherry, what did the pamphlets say about fish and spinach? I had a myomectomy, but unfortunately didn't receive much guidance post-surgery other than "eat right and exercise, but they'll probably grow back anyway."

[Mindymoo]

The blood talk makes me reminisce a bit.  After many years of period hell I finally found a woman obgyn that after listening to my tearful litany of problems sent me for tests and found I was full of fibroids, which led to a hysterectomy.  After ten years of griping and complaining and crying to two or three other ob docs...but that's another story.  When they had me in the prep room she came in with this serious look on her face that frankly freaked me out and said that they would have to give me blood immediately, because of my severe anemic status.  I have no idea to this day how much they gave me, and I don't want to know, but I silently thank all donors.  I figure if I'm dead, I sure as hell don't need that kidney, give it to some poor sick ten year old or young mother or whoever the hell needs it.

 

That hysterectomy was great, I can't recommend a better surgery to anybody.  The drugs were fabulous, the food was great, and except for one wench I had the best nurses.  Came home with a stack of booklets about eating fish and spinach and other iron rich foods and recipes.  Best eight weeks off of work I'll ever have.  And no more period!  

 

Now this is seriously the best movie ever about having big families.  This is the first documentary I ever truly watched and felt affected by.  What great people the DeBolts were.  That's how you raise 19 children...with love.  Not with that keep sweet and religious blind obedience garbage.  

I just had a hysterectomy on March 4th. I had twice monthly periods that couldn't be controlled by anything but depo provera. I was on it since I was 16, and no one should be on that drug for twelve years. They tried to do an endometrial ablation on me, but they tore a hole in my uterus because it was so full of adhesions. So, three months later, I had the hysterectomy. It wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be. The only downside is that I ended up with a blood clot from my popliteal to my femoral artery a month later, but that thing had likely been building up long before that surgery when you account for the sheer size of it. But yeah, no more awful periods, and no more hormones that will make me susceptible to blood clots since I have a clotting disorder.

[emma675]

Anemic here, too! It's one of the weird side effects of my thyroid diseases, somehow. I am an organ donor, though; they can have it all, I won't need it.

 

And I've got fibroids, too! I still have everything but I've been on Seasonale birth control for 10+ years to control the super heavy bleeding and kill-me-dead cramps. But now all of my hormones levels have tanked so I'm a mess. I don't want to get off of the bc because it controls everything so well, but I probably can't continue on this way. A partial hysterectomy has been mentioned (just the uterus), but I'm still thinking it through. My gyn does non-invasive hysterectomies where they do it laproscopically and only punch a few holes in your abdomen, so it wouldn't be much down time, but I've already lost my thyroid and I'm hesitant to keep ditching organs because they don't work right, lol.

Edited May 28, 2015 by emma675d

[Wellfleet]

Turning left again: about Waffle House... I live in the south. At the I75 exit nearest me, there is a Waffle House on either side. Without moving an inch, I count 5 within 10 miles. Whoever said its like waiting in the bathroom while watching the cook grill your meal pretty much nailed it. However, I have 2 unmarried male cousins who eat there up to 4 times a week. I've been there with them, and it's an on-going soap opera. They know everybody there, if they have kids, how much their wife cheats on them, if the waitress is dating someone (or trying to kill someone). It's FAMILY!!! (Think of Cheers with no alcohol, very few teeth and PLENTY of eye shadow).

The one cousin, Bill, had a birthday on Memorial Day. The other cousin called him up (he got the short straw fair and square) and asked where he'd like to go out for his birthday. Said he'd take Bill wherever he wanted to go. Can anybody guess the punchline??? If I'm Lyin' I'm dyin'!!!

 

OMG, I roared laughing at this!! Thanks, happy - for the much-needed chuckles... :>)

[CherryMalotte]

My mom had the whole RH factor business back when she was pregnant with me in the mid 60's which I believe is one of the factors in my being an only child.  She's made mention before that her OBGYN told her not to do 'that' again, meaning have another baby, which is okay by me.  Or maybe he just knew my parents were the kind of people that shouldn't have had a child, which means he was clarivoyent as well.  

 

I wish I still had some of those diet guides Charmed1 - I did a big purge of my desk earlier this year and recycled all that.  Basically fish, spinach, apricots, liver, lots of beans and some kale...all of it is iron rich and should be included in your regular diet, but at that time when I came home from the hospital I had to have specific servings to boost myself.  Thankfully it was all stuff I like, except for kale.  Never have liked that.          

Edited May 28, 2015 by CherryMalotte

[SomePity1066]

Very sorry to say I cannot donate blood because of gross and scary clotting problems, but I make an annual donation to the Red Cross and have helped out at drives handing out cookies and juice for those that had just donated. I am, however, an organ donor, and my Living Will/End of Life Directive states that they can take absolutely anything and everything that would help, whether it be for a donation, or for research or medical students to practice on. Hell, I won't give a darn if they peel my face off - what will I care ? I'll be in Heaven (hopefully !) having lunch with Oscar Wilde, Jane Austen, Robin Williams and Joan Rivers. Just settle into a comfy cloud, and, why, yes - I will have another Pinot Grigio... :)

[dillpickles]

Wow, so many organ donors here! I need to register for that soon, along with registering to vote, and other things.

[JenCarroll]

I've already lost my thyroid and I'm hesitant to keep ditching organs because they don't work right, lol.

Eh, you don't need all those organs. ;-)

I'd had my tonsils out at age 14, then in my late 20's to early 30's I had (completely unrelated) emergency removals of my appendix, gall bladder, and one ovary, in a 4-year period. My BIL, a doctor, was like, "Are you trying to get rid of all the disposable organs before you turn 40?" Well, I'm past 40 by quite a bit now, and still hanging on to everything else. Gotta have something left to donate, right? :-)

[truthtalk2014]

For Wanderwoman- Not sure if this is the right place but I just saw your profile picture change and I want to say that it made me so happy!  Your precious baby is so beautiful and I wish you all the best!!!

[Readalot]

For Wanderwoman- Not sure if this is the right place but I just saw your profile picture change and I want to say that it made me so happy! Your precious baby is so beautiful and I wish you all the best!!!

wait what?!?! I need to find Maisie ASAP I need a smile.

[wanderwoman]

I have a DH approved user pic. Lol. He doesn't understand why I wanted her as my user pic, but I managed to convince him this place was harmless. :)

I grabbed this pic after her bath, but before the cannula tape went on. Her hair is getting really fuzzy.

[NEGirl]

Wanderwoman - Maisie is beautiful ! Thank you for sharing the picture. God Bless.

Edited May 28, 2015 by NEGirl

[HeyNow]

Beautiful baby, Wanderwoman.  Thanks for letting us see her :)

[Jellybeans]

I love the picture. Simple pleasures.

[lookeyloo]

What a beautiful little girl!!!

[ginger90]

Maisie is a cutie pie !

[riverblue22]

Wanderwoman, she is adorable!

[wanderwoman]

I had a professor in grad school who was deaf and he refused to speak or lipread. He only acknowledged ASL.My first taste of Deaf Culture.My opinion is that you're doing a great job with your decisions.I have hearing impaired children on my caseload and they do not have a hearing aid at age 18 months. Who knows why? Many reasons I'm sure...Interesting for me to see how things are supposed to work. :)

From what little we can reduce, and- again- I will defer to Jellybeans' expertise- most kids get one hearing test right before they leave the hospital and it's not the gold standard people imagine it to be. There are some kids who pass that test and six months later have significant loss. As a result, most people don't know there's a problem until their child has fallen way behind on the language spectrum. It doesn't surprise me that there are toddlers who have hearing loss that aren't being aggressively managed. But, it does make me very sad. Since the moment we were told, the hardest part has been having patience over the process. DH and I are more than a little "take charge". Having something so out of our control has been an interesting journey. Lol. Our audiologist laughs at DH every time he records our appointments AND takes notes. They're going to start groaning when they see us.

[NikSac]

I'm sorry if this got too detailed for people, but I find it fascinating. Transfusion medicine is a lot more complicated than most people realize. 

 

I for one found it really interesting - thank you for sharing all that!  I love learning new things.

[Mindymoo]

Eh, you don't need all those organs. ;-)

I'd had my tonsils out at age 14, then in my late 20's to early 30's I had (completely unrelated) emergency removals of my appendix, gall bladder, and one ovary, in a 4-year period. My BIL, a doctor, was like, "Are you trying to get rid of all the disposable organs before you turn 40?" Well, I'm past 40 by quite a bit now, and still hanging on to everything else. Gotta have something left to donate, right? :-)

I just had my uterus and fallopian tubes removed. I've had my tailbone removed as well, and will need to have my gallbladder removed soon. I've been joking that it's my weight loss plan to just get rid of all of those pesky, non-essential organs and that once I'm down to the bare bones, I can just start being a live donor and give out parts of my liver and lung so I can be vain and altruistic at the same time.

[JenCarroll]

Oh, our Maisie is such a beauty!!!

<3

[NextIteration]

Maisie is beautiful! 

 

Wanderwoman, that's good that he does that, and if they roll their eyes, stick your tongue out at them!  I've been known to drive doctors nuts myself, it comes with the territory.  And yes, people really don't understand what a proper hearing test involves.  Audiologists are important!

 

I just had my appendix out - not emergency, pre-cancer precautions.  Yup that'll be me having colonoscopies every six months until the end of time.  I'm an organ donor but can't give blood.  Hope that counts!

[JenCarroll]

I've been trying to upload a picture, but I keep getting told that it's too large a file. I mean, every picture I have is too large, apparently. Any ideas?

[jmt111]

She is lovely Wanderwoman. I'm a little envious as my one and only is off to college. I miss her dearly, but am so glad for her. Just enjoy those cuddles!

[Absolom]

Thanks for the picture, wanderwoman.  She's gorgeous.  There's no preemie look to her at all.  :)  Thank your husband for us.

[dillpickles]

I have a DH approved user pic. Lol. He doesn't understand why I wanted her as my user pic, but I managed to convince him this place was harmless. :)

I grabbed this pic after her bath, but before the cannula tape went on. Her hair is getting really fuzzy.

What a cutie!

[wanderwoman]

Thanks for the picture, wanderwoman.  She's gorgeous.  There's no preemie look to her at all.  :)  Thank your husband for us.

It's funny because some people remark about how she does look preemie and then others can't see it at all. I think if you don't know she's 4 months, she seems normal. :) But, thank you, we think she's just right. I was looking at her first user pic that I had put on here and it's like night and day. She is growing fast.

[Love2dance]

Thank you Wanderwoman, and your DH, for sharing Maisie's beautiful picture with us. What a precious little baby!

Edited because my iPad is crazy!

Edited May 29, 2015 by Love2dance

[Absolom]

 

It's funny because some people remark about how she does look preemie and then others can't see it at all. I think if you don't know she's 4 months, she seems normal. :) But, thank you, we think she's just right. I was looking at her first user pic that I had put on here and it's like night and day. She is growing fast.

I'm biased.  She looks a lot like my granddaughter did at around 2 months when she began flipping over.  :)   

[P2C2E]

I too, am an organ donor. I have had several family members that have received transplants and transfusions. A big thank you to all of you who choose to donate!

If you can donate, please also talk with close family about your wishes, whether it's a partner, parent, or sibling. Be honest and specific, i.e. I want to donate my skin and eyes and tissue. Many people think of donation as being only major organs. Talking with family members now will help with the process later if they feel that they really understood your wishes. And of course, there's legal options such as wills.

For those who cannot donate for whatever reasons, thank you for wanting to/trying! Please encourage friends and coworkers to donate, maybe look up when blood drives are happening and post information. Please consider becoming involved as a volunteer or work to bring more blood drives to your area.

Together we CAN make a difference!

[ninjawirehead]

wanderwoman:  As we crazy anime fans like to say, Miss Maisie is super kawaii! * Hope that she will continue to get stronger and healthier with each passing day!

 

*Kawaii, in context of Japanese popular culture, means "cute". My "baby" is now 18 and is graduating high school in a week.  She is the one I thank for introducing me to anime and manga. Because, apparently, I am not geeky enough. :)

 

As for organ donation, I am a donor. I made sure that box was checked when I got my driver's license. One of my co-worker's sons had a bad kidney, and the co-worker's other son donated one of his kidneys to his brother.  There was a news story about it here in my hometown a few months back. Both are doing well, happy to say.  I figure once I am off this mortal coil, at least I might be able to help someone else's loved one have a shot at life. Still have all my organs, but there are days I wonder about my brain.

[bk10]

2 things:

 

1- The talk about hearing loss makes me think about one of my nephews. My immediate family resides in NYC, but right after my sister got pregnant with my nephew, she moved to Vegas with her husband. She gave birth there and everything seemed ok to them. My mom went there for a visit and she immediately felt that something was wrong with my nephew because he would stare out into space and not really respond when you called him. She told my sister to get him checked out, my BIL was against it and said nothing was wrong with his child and to let it be. My sister came for a visit with my nephew and this time my other sister (who is a doctor) told her that something was off and to go see a doctor. She went back to Vegas, got him checked out and that doctor said nothing was wrong. He wasn't developing like other kids because he wasn't babbling and reacting in ways that are normal to his age. Eventually, she moved back to NYC and went to a doctor here who figured out that he could not hear properly. He also had liquid in his ear which kept him from being able to stand up and find balance which is why at almost 2 years old, he was still crawling around like a baby and not listening to anyone (because he couldn't.) It was so heartbreaking for my sister because now that they finally found out what was wrong, he got an implant in his ear and he can hear now (although sometimes he acts like he can't), but he lost some very important time in learning how to talk. He's turning 6 this year and talks like a one year old, although he is able to learn very well. He's about to graduate kindergarten and he can write, do simple math, and read, but he can't talk. He's in a special ed class at school where he has one on one teaching, but it sucks knowing that if the problem was caught sooner, he could have been better developed by now. I have no doubt that he's gonna go places though. He's quiet, but so observant and so clever. I often wonder what goes on on his mind. He loves the ipad/iphone and any Dr. Seuss book. He cannot go anywhere without a Dr. Seuss book in his hand. He loves drawing the cat in the hat and his family. He also loves to sit around my 4 other nephews even if he's not playing with them, he just wants to be around them. He does get a little aggressive sometimes and we feel like his lack of language frustrates him because he can't express himself, but that's something we are working on. Oh, and he loves to hug any and everyone we have to pull him away from trying to hug strangers sometimes. Sorry for the long post, I love kids and I love my 5 nephews even more so I can talk about them all day. I can't wait to have my own (biologically or through adoption)!

 

2- I'll save it for my next post because this was so long.

[dillpickles]

wanderwoman: As we crazy anime fans like to say, Miss Maisie is super kawaii! * Hope that she will continue to get stronger and healthier with each passing day!

*Kawaii, in context of Japanese popular culture, means "cute". My "baby" is now 18 and is graduating high school in a week. She is the one I thank for introducing me to anime and manga. Because, apparently, I am not geeky enough. :)

As for organ donation, I am a donor. I made sure that box was checked when I got my driver's license. One of my co-worker's sons had a bad kidney, and the co-worker's other son donated one of his kidneys to his brother. There was a news story about it here in my hometown a few months back. Both are doing well, happy to say. I figure once I am off this mortal coil, at least I might be able to help someone else's loved one have a shot at life. Still have all my organs, but there are days I wonder about my brain.

oh look, an anime fan. *waves*. I wish i could get my mom to watch anime with me sometimes, but the only asian entertainment she's into would be chinese kung fu movies.

[bk10]

My second post before going to bed:
Today at work, I asked my coworker where he was from for some reason that I forgot.
Me: Where are you from again?
Him: Arkansas
Me: OMG! Really? Do you know the duggars? (Because everyone in Arkansas knows each other)
Him: Oh gosh, I actually do know them and they are fucking weird.
Me: I was only kidding, you don't have to lie to me about knowing them
Him: Nope, I'm not kidding. I was home schooled and my family interacted with them a few times cause we lived near each other. We were not friends or anything and most of the people around us thought something was wrong with them. Those people are crazy because they don't even do real home schooling.
Me: You have to tell me everything you know about them
Him: Well like I wasn't cool with them like that, I just happened to be connected to them in that way. My parents didn't home school for religious reasons and it was completely different from what they do. I only have 5 siblings and my parents raised us, but the kids raise each other in that family. But even though I thought something was off about them, I never thought it would be what recently came out.
Me: I know! Well it sucks that you don't have any juicy details, but I'm gonna share this on this forum that I go on cause I have no life.

 

Then I went on a tangent because I moved to America in 1998, when I was 7. I didn't know any English and for social studies I had to memorize the states and their capitals. My French speaking mind was so confused when I learned that the Kansas in Arkansas was not pronounced like Kansas. It makes NO sense! 17 years later and I still don't know how I learned this language.

[Wellfleet]

Very sorry to say I cannot donate blood because of gross and scary clotting problems, but I make an annual donation to the Red Cross and have helped out at drives handing out cookies and juice for those that had just donated. I am, however, an organ donor, and my Living Will/End of Life Directive states that they can take absolutely anything and everything that would help, whether it be for a donation, or for research or medical students to practice on. Hell, I won't give a darn if they peel my face off - what will I care ? I'll be in Heaven (hopefully !) having lunch with Oscar Wilde, Jane Austen, Robin Williams and Joan Rivers. Just settle into a comfy cloud, and, why, yes - I will have another Pinot Grigio... :)

 

OMG, this is an ongoing discussion in our family, mostly around the firepit on my brother's terrace, sometimes at beach fires. Has been for years. Who do you want at your table on your first night in Heaven?? My list changes frequently but currently contains George Carlin, Winston Churchill, Jacqueline Kennedy, Beethoven and Teddy Roosevelt. Plus my Mom and Dad of course...

Edited May 29, 2015 by Wellfleet

[NextIteration]

 She told my sister to get him checked out, my BIL was against it and said nothing was wrong with his child and to let it be.

 

So sadly often is the case, that one spouse is in complete denial and often it is the father, I suppose it's because they aren't around as much to observe that things are off.  It's difficult to accept that our precious little ones are not perfect.  Going through the grieving process that our expectations about our children have to change so radically is not an easy thing.  I don't think it's hubris, we all just want the best for our children.

Edited May 29, 2015 by NextIteration

[JenCarroll]

Good morning Maisie! I turned on the iPad and the first thing my eye landed on was Maisie's picture here. :-) <3

Bonjour BK10! Vous venez de la France? L'orthographe en anglais, c'est difficile pour tous. Y compris les locuteurs natifs. Ecolière, moi aussi je me suis enfollé par cette question de Kansas/Arkansas. Tout à fait furieuse. Quelle injustice! :-)

[amitville]

Good Morning Our Maisie is just beautiful thank you for sharing her picture with her cyber family.

[JenCarroll]

When in doubt, blame the Duggars!

[IOU Payne]

Hi everyone!  I've been here since the closing of TWOP, and even kept my screen name, but up till now most of my posts have been in the Y&R threads. I do have a Duggar connection - back in the day on TWOP when FJ was just starting up/splintering off, I came up with the tagline "A Quiverfull of Snark".  Yay me!!

 

More comic relief:  My son's band is shooting a video and I somehow became the caterer for the function. However, the actual shoot includes live concert footage at a venue that's rough, and a bunch of people were invited with the incentive of FREE BEER!! so I'm not encouraged to be there for the actual video part.  I do, however, get a credit on the video!  Cross another item off my bucket list.....

 

Maisie is a cutie-pie and I look forward to reading about her adventures as she explores the world.  One day, she may be fronting a band and you'll be figuring out how many pounds of cheese you'll need for lasagna! 

[bk10]

Good morning Maisie! I turned on the iPad and the first thing my eye landed on was Maisie's picture here. :-) <3

Bonjour BK10! Vous venez de la France? L'orthographe en anglais, c'est difficile pour tous. Y compris les locuteurs natifs. Ecolière, moi aussi je me suis enfollé par cette question de Kansas/Arkansas. Tout à fait furieuse. Quelle injustice! :-)

Hahaha, I'm from Haiti, a French speaking country, and as the youngest in my family to move here, I've forgotten all of my French. I can still read it and understand it when it's spoken around me, but I suck. My parents tried so hard to have me keep the language, but they failed. I did get A's in my French classes in college because of my background though :). 

[wanderwoman]

2 things:

 

1- The talk about hearing loss makes me think about one of my nephews. My immediate family resides in NYC, but right after my sister got pregnant with my nephew, she moved to Vegas with her husband. She gave birth there and everything seemed ok to them. My mom went there for a visit and she immediately felt that something was wrong with my nephew because he would stare out into space and not really respond when you called him. She told my sister to get him checked out, my BIL was against it and said nothing was wrong with his child and to let it be. My sister came for a visit with my nephew and this time my other sister (who is a doctor) told her that something was off and to go see a doctor. She went back to Vegas, got him checked out and that doctor said nothing was wrong. He wasn't developing like other kids because he wasn't babbling and reacting in ways that are normal to his age. Eventually, she moved back to NYC and went to a doctor here who figured out that he could not hear properly. He also had liquid in his ear which kept him from being able to stand up and find balance which is why at almost 2 years old, he was still crawling around like a baby and not listening to anyone (because he couldn't.) It was so heartbreaking for my sister because now that they finally found out what was wrong, he got an implant in his ear and he can hear now (although sometimes he acts like he can't), but he lost some very important time in learning how to talk. He's turning 6 this year and talks like a one year old, although he is able to learn very well. He's about to graduate kindergarten and he can write, do simple math, and read, but he can't talk. He's in a special ed class at school where he has one on one teaching, but it sucks knowing that if the problem was caught sooner, he could have been better developed by now. I have no doubt that he's gonna go places though. He's quiet, but so observant and so clever.

This story is heartbreaking. It's also heartbreakingly common. :( At our cochlear friendly group, we've heard multiple stories along the same line. I'd like to think I would've been observant and proactive enough to have seen Maisie's hearing loss had it occurred outside the hospital, but you just never know. Hugs.

I will be on and off today. We're seeing the audiologist to fit Maisie's hearing aids today. Step 1 on what will be a long journey.

[emma675]

Good luck, wanderwoman! Will the hearing aids allow Maisie to really hear more clearly for the first time? I can't even imagine what that would be like (I saw that video online a few weeks ago that was a compilation of people hearing for the first time in their lives and I was a weepy mess, it was beautiful).

[GEML]

What a beautiful picture!!